When it comes to an article having a few eye catching graphics tied in with it or one that has none- I tend to favor the one that can support or add to the content visually.

If I see a cool header graphic on an article or piece of content I may already be interested in then that keeps me on and reading that much longer.

How are these graphics made?

The creative process can be a mysterious elusive creature. The best idea often comes from deep in the unconscious and when you are asked how you came up with it, you are not %100 sure.

But there seems to be a fusion of imagination and analysis that when combined allow the designer or artist to create and therefore be creative. A bit of the left brain and a bunch of the right brain.

Some steps are critical for me, like brainstorming and stepping away from a project if time allows- even if it is just for a few minutes which can be just enough time for ‘me‘ to stop thinking about the work and let the other ‘me‘, my unconscious, to churn the information over and see the work with fresh eyes.

When beginning a new project I follow a routine. This keeps me on track and primes me to think in a certain way.

• I get the specifications for the work
• Time needed to spend on the graphic or graphics/Deadline
• Main idea or purpose of article/content
• Call to action/What is the problem?

Brainstorming is one of the first things I do if the idea doesn’t immediately jump out at me.

Simple techniques like writing a word down in the center of a page, mind maps, and then coming up with associations or analogies and ideas that come from those- nothing is wrong in this stage. After I have a few solid things I get into revising that list and making it stronger.

When everything is clear and I know what it is I need to get started on I will then pick up the trusty old pencil and paper and simply start doodling.

This can never be used too much. Sometimes fleshing out an idea on the screen can be clunky and slow, even if you have been doing it for years.

The pencil and paper, for me, creates a shorter route for my brain to travel through and get that idea down. I think quicker this way.

After the idea is sketched out I then bring that into the computer. Set up my document and color palette and whatever text I will be working with.

I like to use photography in most of my graphics. I have a few stock photo sites at my disposal. If the article is about luggage and the best way to pack for a trip then certain images pop into my mind and I will seek out similar looking photos.

Some are obvious and hard to stay away from, while others can can be cliche and used to the point of saturation.

When I find a photo that I like I almost always take it and isolated the parts I will be using from the whole. This is where the ability to being open to change works to my benefit.

For instance, if I isolate a man carrying a suitcase and my idea is to convey fitting all of your things into one piece of luggage then I could replace the suitcase with the mans house or closet with some digital cutting and pasting.

I try to push the idea just enough so that it is fresh and not played out, but not too much so that it requires a lot of thinking. The response ideally should be immediate and obvious as well as contribute not take away from the article.

After the graphics are completed I evaluate them.

This is an objective and subjective analysis. I ask myself certain questions about the graphics and their relationship with the text. If something doesn’t work for whatever reason I remove it. Less can be more!

• Is the text saying the right thing and is it spelled correctly?
• Are the colors and photos used evoking the response I would like?
• Did the graphics solve the problem and help, or directly, relay the information?
• Was it useful or just fluff?
• Would the images appeal to the targeted audience?

Ideas never just come to me, well maybe they do, but they are derived from somewhere in the real world first.

I am always keeping everything I see or come in contact with as fodder for my creativity.

Being adaptable and open to change also allows for the chance that variation and new ideas can be used in the best way possible. So next time put down the mouse and pick up a pencil and paper first to get your wheels turning.

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